The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-06-09

HM n -
were on the warpath, as they ZEM
generally were. They were Ww
a fierce-tempered race, at war
with all men excepting Indians m
of Sioux or Cheyenne blood. X
Liscomb, knowing that these Indians
must be out of cartridges for their
Winchester rifles, resolved to load two
pack animals with ammunition and
drive them into the Yellowstone val
ley, and there find the hostile Sioux
and make a trade which would be
highly profitable to him. He loaded his
horses at Bozeman and crossed the Belt
mountains. Below him lay the almost
unknown valley of the Yellowstone.
He rode down it, and while passing
through the low country he met an old
trading comrade, who persuaded him to
leave his cargo at his house until he had
found the Sioux and arranged for trade.
He stopped with this comrade one night.
Next morning early he saddled his
horse and rode down the valley. Pres
emily Sioux warrior rode out of a thicket
and approached him. This brave was un-
armed. He carried whip, the handle of
which was the heavy oak spoke of q
freight wagon Wheel Side by side they
rode talking pleasantly, Liscomb being
ever watchful of his visitor. When they
were about five miles from his friends
house, the Indian pointed to some dark
objects lying on hillside about half
mile distant, and said sweetly, as he
pointed with outstretched arm "Look at
the antelope" As he spoke he slightly
checked his horse. Liscomb looked in
the indicated direction, saw that he had
got ahead of his visitor, and instantly
realized his mistake. He threw himself
forward in his saddle, jammed his spurs
into his horses fianks and heard the
heavy club-like whip whiz by his head
and strike his horse. By this time he
had his revolver in his hand and he
turned in his saddle and shot the Indian
dead.
The antelope lying on the hillside
sprang up. They were thirteen Sioux
warriors. Their horses rose out of the
grass. They mounted and charged on
Liscomb. He was directly on the river
, bank. He instantly saw that he could
not escape. He placed his revolver to
his horses head and blew out his brains.
Then lying down behind the quivering
body he opened fire on his enemies with
q Winchester rife. He was dead shot
and quick one, and he was fighting for
his life. He told me that he was never
cooler. He emptied saddle after saddle
as the Indians approached him. He
broke the direct charge and forced the
warriors to ride in circle, firing as they
galloped. Presently rifle ball crashed
through the lower bones of his right leg.
He gritted his teeth and continued to fire.
Soon but three warriors were left to fight.
They were crazy with rage and moltifi-
cation. They jumped from their horses
and sank into the grass, which then grew
tall in the Yellowstone valley, and tried
to crawl ON Liscomb, firing steadily as
they approached. A ball crashed through
his left fore arm, splintering the bones.
His horse was now stiff, and he gritted
his teeth tighter as he rested his rifle
barrel on his wounded arm, which lay
on his dead horse, so as to get sufficient
height to see his enemies. He killed
two of them. He was faint and almost
gone when he saw q painted and fierce
visaged savage In the grass, and distant
dc Ttoonnnh nnvrHh hnrnH 20
have seen the painted face, and gaunt
body, and the elevated feet Of the Indian.
He nerved himself for his last shot. He
covered the crawling figure dimly, as
though he were shooting In dream. He
saw the Indians rifle come to his shoul-
der. He pulled his trigger, saw the right
foot Of the Indian jerk, knew that he had
hit him and tainted. The Indians bull
let, fired ct the same instant, struck Lis
comb above the left eye glancingly and
smashed hole In his outer skull. That
was what put him to sleep. He lay un-
conscious until dark.
He swoke to find himself physically
wreck. He crawled to the river to drink
before he died. The water revived him
wonderfully. He lay on the bank think
ing Of the fight and his wounds, gaining
strength and courage every minute.
Finally he sat up and examined his
broken leg and arm, and felt with in
quiring fingers Of his head, and then he
said. II am worth Q sthousand dead men.
! came 70 trade with the Teton Sioux
and am going TO trade with them.
Hare y for crawl to my friends house."
He again drank Of the cold wo&oy. and
~, eppported on one sound NJ oad
! - 0Exa, = e4sWled throu0h coG116 oSoe
& as1sesSe 49,